Valve



Aug. 31, 1943. ws 2,328,349

VALVE Filed Dec. 18, 1942 INVENTOR. JOHN H. LA W6 H/S ATTOQNEY d"Patented Augl3l, 1943 T OFFICE.

i i r vALvE j .rbnnnw tvsgnetroit,Mich} aspiran s December 18,"1942,Serial No. 469,385

I v more par-J ticularly to an; outlet relief valve forsteam heatingsystems, andthis is a continuation in p'art'of my patent applicationSerial No. 428,055 filed Janua .4, -l9 42 for Valves.

1 Insteam heatingsystems fftheit peco iprising a ,boiler or steamgeneratorjsupplyingjsteam to a numberof radiators; an outlet reliefvalve is usually provided on the end jofseaeh radiator re-J motefromythe -st eamjnlet for the purpose of bleeding the cold air] out ofthe'radiator into the room in order to permit the hot steamlto enter theradiator. The steam from the] boiler must pass through varying lengthsof pipe and it is found that ,the nearest radiators receivezstearn anddeliver heat a much more quickly. than [the more remoteradiators; It isespecially true'that p d ,4o1ase1 (Cl.236--62) f My invention pertainsto valves radiator, and partially broken, away and sectioned to show theinternal construction; and

FigIZ is a cross sectional view on line 22 in Fig.1. i w

Referring more specifically to the drawing my improved master reliefoutlet valve comprises a valve'housing ll, which may be a bowl shape ofI circular cross section; with a threaded aperture thcmost*remoteradiator or radiators of 'such a system may he verylslow to heat upbecause after theflrst steament'ers the closest radiators, the returningcondensate tends to cool the; water in the boilerso that sufiicientsteam for the remote radiatorsis not received for a much longer time;usual reliei valves having inadequate outlet e sg rg capacity tend j toaggravate this diffi. cuJJ It accordinglyan objectof my v ini/ ention to provide an improved outletrelief valve for steam heating systemsproviding a largeidischa'rge capacity in a simple rugged constructionwhich is reliable and positive actingflinoperation. 7 i i i [It isalsoan objector my invention to provide sueh anifiiprjoved utltrelief valvehaving in-l reased discharge capa it and t combination of valve meanscontrolled byxa float I and a thermally responsive member mounted as l ia unitjwith the float'and connected for controlling" the valve me'ans toopenthe valve at low I2 opening through the. bottom for receivinga pipe]3 whereby the device may be mounted upon and conhectedtoa radiator l5 ofa steam heatingsyst'em, in a well known manner. A float H, which isprovided in the chamber l8 enclosed by the housing, is of a shape andsize suitable for free movement therein. The 'float I! may ,be

anyfrnem'ber buoyant in water made of wood,

cork ora sheet metal inverted hell or sealed vessel; in accordance withthe usual practice in l .The float llnormally sits' on rests l9 risingfrom'thefbottom ofthe chamber so thatltheaperture inthe bottomis""unobstructed and fluid may at all times flow freely therethroll h,as indicated by the arrows. Three or more rests l9 are provieeaemd thesemayiextend radially, as shown in Fig. Projecting from the outer ends.ot'the rests are guides 2| provided rising axially alongjthe sidewallsof thevalve housing H at .circuirifereritially spaced positions; foraccurately'guidir gfithe movementsof the float ll as it rises'or' as itdescends to rest and for rn'airitain- 7 ing a free space through whichfiuidmay flow freely around the float. A thermally responsive controlelement' 23, is mounted on top of the float.

H "For this purpose I preferably utilize a coiled bimetallic strip: madeof" two strips of corrosion resistant metals. I

temperaturesto close the valve at high tempera tiires, or-to closethevalve when condensate'is received at any temperature.

Further objects. and advantages are within arrangement, operatiori'andfunction of the re: lated elements or the structure, to variousdejtailsof construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se,and to economies of manufac- .ture and numerous other features asflwillbe apparent from a consideration of the-specification in: conjunctionwith the drawing disclosing specitic embodiments of my invention,similar reference characters being. applied to correspondingelementsthroughout, andginwhich:

the scope of my invention, such as relate to the v Elgil is a sideelevational view showing an inf stallation of my improved reliefoutletvalve on a f Oneendof thethermally responsive member 23 is.secured' to. thetop of the float ll, as by weldingor brazing whenthefloat is of sheet metalo'r by means ofscrews or. other suitablefastenerswhen'the floatfis of wood or cork? This also prevents movementof thisendwhen the coiled member responds to 1 temperature changes.

, c This "coiledbiemetallicthermal element is pro-f vi'ded withasubstantialnumber of coiled turns" and "it isrnounted on i the floattoward one side thereof; The other or free movingendlQof the coiledthermal element h is extended toward and over the center of the floatfor providing a move-Q ment multiplying lever arm 23'. Acounterweightlils provided on the float at a. position cplposite from,the. side whereon the thermal element is mountfidfin order to. balancethe float Hand. cause it to move freely in the chamber. f'Ihe ientlyremovable screw pin ill the valve 25 may.

be disconnected conveniently for grinding and reseating. The end of arm23' on bi-inetal strip is curled down slightly in such a shape as tomaintain freesliding engagement under the cen- 23 to the, float servesboth to mount it upon the ter of the valve 25 as the stripstraightensout and lifts the valve.

The valve 25 which is raised or lowered by the action ofeither the float5'! or the thermally responsive element or both, is a tubular or hollowcylindrical member open at the upper end and having ports 3|openingfthrough the side wall near the lower end. The lower end of thevalve cylinder 25' is closed by a disc orcap 33 wherein the screw 2 isfirmly secured for attaching the valve to the arm end of the thermallyresponsive element 23. I

The tubular valve member 25 slides freely into an aperture 35 passing,up through a cover or cap 3'! comprising the upper portion of the valve5 housing. The valve cap 133 is larger in diameter than the valveproviding a laterally projecting flange or rim for seating against theunder side of the cover if, When the valve is lifted tothe uppermostposition, the rim engages th underside of the cover portion of the valvehousing,

and the side portsv 3! in the valve are} then closed.

' The upper end of the valve aperture 35 is provided with a counter-bore39 of enlarged diameter forminga shoulder Al providing a, checkvalveseat which maybe accurately ground for receiving a snug sealing checkvalve disc 43, of

light-sheet metal, or of a light plastic or fiber composition, toprevent the reverse flow of air into the valve housing and into theradiator.

The cover portion 3'! of the valve housing is snugly secured and sealedupon the lower portion by means of an externally. threaded annularflange 45 of a suitable diameter projecting down from the lower'side andscrewing into aninternal thread in the upper end of the main valvehousing ll. :The cover 31 is also provided with a I laterally projectingflange 41 adapted to receive a Wrench to be screwed. down for snuglyengaging the upper end surfaces. of the valve housing.

If desired, an annular gasket illqofany suitable ,vieldable sheetpacking material may be clamped.

through the pipe 13 into the outlet relief valve,

andthe' upper end o the thermallyresponsive element 23 then tends touncurl or straighten. The movement is greatly multiplied by the eX-.tended lever arm 23' and th numberofcoiled' sary to hold the checkvalve'disc open.

turns provided. The movable arm 23 of the coiled thermal elementengagesthe center of the bottom of the valve 25 and freely lifts thevalve until the rim of the valve disc 33 engages the under surface ofthe cover 31. The valve ports 3| are then closed and the discharge ofhot steam from the radiator 15 into the room atmosphere is 1 restricted.When the temperature of the valve housing H drops, the thermallyresponsive element contracts. or curls and the valve 25 is again openedfor discharging to atmosphere until the I radiator is again fullycharged with hot steam. This cycle of operation repeats, accuratelykeeping the radiator hot and'p'roviding ample heat. The attachmentof oneend of the coiled member top of the float and also serves to preventmovement of the-anchored end when the device respond to temperaturechanges.

If the radiator should be partially closed off it might collect full ofcondensedwater which would then pass into the valve housing. I When thisoccurs the float i1 rises and the army end of the heat responsive member23 lifts the valve and closes the valve ports irrespective of thetemperature. The water drains back from the radiator l5 into the heatingsystem, and from the valve housing Ill into the radiator, and the floatI1 is then lowered to sit down'upon the rests l9 drawing the valve downto wide open position and the discharge passages of the outlet'valve areagain opened providing ample discharge capacity for quickly bleeding theradiator of air until it is fully charged with hot steam.

. The check valve 43 effectively prevents the reverse flow of air fromthe room into the radiator l5 and being a very light member it createsonly a very slight back pressure while cold air is flowing from theradiator out to atmosphere. My

outlet relief valve is especially desirable for use on the'radiatorswhich ar the most remote from the steam boilerfa'nd'it may be desirableat times to, removethecheck valve disc 43 to entirely eliminate theslight back pressure neces- When it is desired to disassemble the outletrelief valve, it is only necessary to unscrew the coverfrom the valvehousing when the float and thermally responsive valve assemblage may beonveniently lifted out for replacement or repair.

Any part maybe conveniently replaced or renewed. By remo-ving the pin,and detaching the valve from the thermally responsive member, the valvemay be conveniently ground and the-valve seat surfaces renewed; f Itisapparent that within the scope of the invention, modifications anddifferent arrangements may be made other than herein disclosed, and thepresent disclosure is illustrative merely,

the invention comprehending variation thereof.

I claim: 1

1. In combinationin an outlet relief valve for steam heatingsystems, anoperator: casing en-- closing a float chamber, a float said chamber, 7an aperture opening through the bottom of said float chamber, rests forsupporting said float spaced thebottozn of said chamber so thatphere'vent opening through said cover, a valve member slidable insaidvent for opening or C1055 ing the ven.t, a coiledbiemetallic thermallycx posed member exposed to temperatures in said float. chamber,saidbimetallic member having one end secured to the topside of said float inan ofi-center positiomandthe other end of said coiled bi-metallic memberbeing extended over the center of the =float to provide a movementmultiplying lever arm, said arm being connected f .to said valve memberby a pin'and slot connection for closing said atmosphere vent inresponse to hightemperature and for opening the vent in response tolowtemperature except when condensate enters said chamber and raises thefloat which closes the atmosphere vent.

2. An outlet relief valve for steam heating sys tems comprising ahousing enclosing afloat chamber, a float in said chamber, an apertureopening from said chamber through the bottom of said housing, floatrests on the bottom of said housing and spaced for supporting said floatabove the bottom of the housing, a went in the upper portion ofsaidhousing, valve means for controlling said vent, a coiled bi-metallicmember mounted in an off-center position upon the top side of thefloat'with' one end attached thereto, the other endof said coiled memberextending toward and over the center of the float to provide a movementmultiplying lever arm, the extended end of the. coiled member having anconnection for operating the valve means when the float is lifted bycondensate in said chamber.

3. The combination in'an outlet relief valve for steam heating systemsin at zcordance with claim 1, and further characterized by saidatmosphere :vent being of a circular cross-section large enough toprovide ample discharge, said valve member being of tubular conformationsliding freely into the inner end of said vent, the inner end ofthejvalve member being closed and having a laterally. projecting rim orflange for seating against the inside surface of said cover,

discharge ports opening through the sidewalls of said tubular valvemember for discharging air aperture, and a pin passing through saidaper- 1 ture and connecting to said valve means for :closing the valvemeans with a relatively free move- H merit therewith in response torising temperaturesand said coiled member serving also as a from thecasing at a rapid rate when the valve is said vent, the inner end of thetubular valve,

member being closed and having a laterally projecting rim or flange forseating against the inner surface of the housing, discharge portsopeningthrough the sidewalls of the tubular valve member for dischargingair at a rapidrate whenthe valve isopened.

JOHN 'H. LAWS.

